Mat-making machine



Dec. 14 1926.

P. J. SWANSON MAT MAKING MACHINE zgFiled Dec. 21, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 2; Wm M m ATTORNEY 7 that shown in Fig.2.

Patented Dec. 14, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETEIB. J. SWANSON, OF SEATTLE, WAS HIN GTON.

MAT-MAKING MACHINE.

1 Application filed December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,927.

cient in operation and that is adated to be power driven thereby relieving the operator of needless labor.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a machine of this nature that is semiautomatic in its operation, that will relieve the operator of all possible work in assembling the rubber blocks and that will greatly speed up the work of making the mats.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a mat making machine of this nature that is adapted for making mats of various sizes.

. Other and. more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a mat making machine constructed in accordance with my invention, certain rubber blocks used in making up a mat being shown by dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same,

Fi a is a side elevation on a lar er scale of a fragment of one end of the machine showing parts 1n a different positlon from Fig. 5.is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation similar to Fig. l except that the parts are shown in a different operative position.

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating a wire holding bar embodied in the invention and Fig. 8 is a plan view of a fragment of a mat constructed in accordance with my invention. 7

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views. 7

In the drawings I show a frame 10 Where' on is mounted a platform or table 11 upon which the mats are assembled.

The table 11 isprovided with a transverse wire holding bar, preferably formed of two pieces 12 and 13, see Figs. 6 and 7, that is adjustable lengthwise of saidtable by means of bolts 14 that are operable in slots 15 which extend longitudinally of the table. The members 12 and 13 forming the wire holding bar are adapted to be clamped together by screw bolts 16 and are provided near their forward edges with grooves 17 that are adapted for the reception of the U shaped ends 18 of parallel wires 20 on which the mats are assembled. The wire holding bar being adjustable lengthwise of making a mat of any desired length within the limits of the length of table 11.

The wires 20 extend forwardly in parallel the tablell may be suitably positioned for relation as shown in Fig. 1 and project over the front end of the machine. A transverse strip 21, preferably of soft material, is provided at the front edge of the table 11 to support the forward ends of wires20 in spaced relation above said table suflicient to accommodate certain blocks 22 which are sed in formin a mat.

,The rubber bTocks 22, see Fig. 8, are preferably formed from discarded pneumatic vehicle tires which are cut out and are of substantially uniform shape and size and are formed with rounded ends 23 and have transverse perforations 24: adjacent said ends that are adapted to slip over the wires 20. In assembling the blocks 22 on the wires 20, one wire is inserted through each end of each block so that each block is held on two wires. Blocks are thus placed to form a transverse row crosswise of the wires. The next adjacent row of blocks is placed on alternate pairs of wires and the placing of the successive. rows of the blocks thus proceeds until the entire mat is made up.

The ends of the wires 20 are held at the by bracket arms 27 with pivots 28 on the frame 10 so that said gate may be lowered as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8 and 4 or may be raised as shown in Fig. 5. for raising the gate 25 as hereinafter described. a L The gate 25 is the wire rest. 21.

positioned. just in front of For the purpose of. moving .the blocks 22 toward the rear end ofthewires 20 after Cams 80 are providedsaid blocks have been placed on the "front end of said wi es 1 provide a carriage 21. 31 having V shaped notches that lit over said wires when said carriage bar is raised so that when said carriage bar is moved toward the rear end of the machine it will carry with it any blocks that have been frame. lension s rin s co ted with b an upwardly extending or) tend Cizll'lLEZO bar to yielding n 31 downva"dly at all times.

A roller '40 is provided on each "end of: carria 'e bar 81 said rollers b01115 ada ted A O 1 I a l pass under tee ca member and thereby control the raising a rd lowering ot the gate 25.

i tra ckway -is provided on each side ot the platform 11 to support the ends of the carriage bar 313s said bar is moved lengthwise o l platform 11. Raised portions are provided on said trackways opposite the end of th'e'njieinher 91 on which tie wires rest to raise the carriage bar 31 over said member 21 as said carriage bar passes this point.

When the carriage bar 31 is in the inoperative position shown in Figs. L 2 and 3 it will rest upon two bell crank shaped supports l" that are both rigidly secured to a ransverse shaft 4%. Gne end of the transverse shaft 14 is corn eeted with bell cronl arm which is urged by tension spring in the pro direction to tend to lift bell hen the weight ofthe crank supports 43. H

81 is on said supports &3 the carriage bar tension of the spring 16 will be overcome and the supports 1 3 together with the earriag'e bar 31 will drop by gra -ity i position Sl1(3\ n in Figs. 2 a1 l 3. Tl zontal end of the bell crank lever upon the end of another bell crank lever i that is tnlcrinned at and is adapted to l engaged by a cam on a shaft :30 whic carries the sprocket wheels 51 on which'the link belts 36 m'edi'sposed. A tension spring 51 is connected with the bell crank 45? and tends to always hold the bell crank it? in en- 'gaqeinent with the hell eran the link bolts 36 pass around suitable sp'l'oel zet wheels that are secured on a, shaft 58 at the rear end of the trame it). The shatt 52 isprovided with-a grear wheel 53 ar anged to mesh 'withanother gear wheel fit on ashaft- 55 that is sliolviidii'ectly below sl'ra t't the gear wheel being indicated by oroken lines in Fig. 2. The shaft is 'provided with two belt wheels fiG'and that are loosely mounted on said shaft and have clutch elements SS on their inner sideswhieh chitch elements are adapted for the reception of cones 011 a member 61 that is prefe ably splined on the shalt 55 and is adapted to e moved lengthwise on said shaft bv a s :JL L l 1 bell. crank shiiter meinoer on which is pivot l a connected by operating l'Oi o; w lev a: E5 or eeizvalent devlee zt the head end 01 the macl The belt wheel 55 may be driven by a straight belt (36 in one direction while the 1 l l 7 r Y b '1) Y H out n KG- or me e (l nen by (1 ml belt (5? in the opposite direction. hence clutch member 61 may reetion by er 3e rotated in one di- "i' wheel Qlllullb with the he 11 ed a wheel 57.

tray (38 may 0 praw'ided at oi" tie in" T716 for recepl L er bloc-ls t at are used in blocks are '11 need by h 1 the wires 20, rs shown ii the carriage bar 31 is in tn, After a desired number of s i r l been so placed the opeinto' b movement of lever may engage the H match 8 and start 'he n'iovement 0% ts iii The ii st movenient ixrnxarted be ts 51.; will t 'n shalt thus :ansing cam 4'1) to move h ll crank 4:? which vill move hell crank 4-5 thereby rotating sh t2: and a sing;- the supports 43 together with the carria ge bar 3l.into the position shown in Fig. 4;, said carri; bar neces Yly being; moved inwardly as it is raised and the notches 32 in said carriage bar fitting over the ends of wires 20. Further movement 0 link belts 36 will move carriage bar onto the tray ways il d wll cause rollers 40 to engn with is 30 thus beginning; to t i its the carriage bar is mivee 1 wardly it will pass over raised portions thus lifting sari-1 carriage her of t' wire supp! 'ing m mber 21. A the some e the rollers 40 will have lifted the gate N clear of the carriage member 31 thus allowing said carria member to pass under the rate 25 and over the member 21 and carry the blocks inwardly. The 'arriage member is then caused to move toward the wire supporting; bill" 12 far enough to bring the blocks that are "arried by said ea 'riage member against said wire 5 j porting bar or :ther blocks 22 of the partly IVhen a mat is completed the wire holding bar 1213 is unbolted, the mat is removed a new set of wires are inserted, the screws 16 are tightened, the wire holding bar is adjusted into the desired position so as to bring the ends of the wires just far enough out to the front of the machine that they will be caught by the carrier bar 31 when it is raised and said wire holding bar is then. bolted tightly to the platform 11.

Any desired number of blocks 22 may be placed by hand on the ends of the wires 20 at one time. I find, however in practice, that if too many of said blocks are placed on the wires at one time there will be a tendency for the blocks to bind with a consequent danger of bending the wires. After the blocks are thus placed they are quickly and easily moved into position by the carriage This machine saves a great deal of time and labor, as obviously it is tedious andslow work to place the blocks 22 on the wires and move the same singly and by hand intotheir proper positions in the mat.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the same may be resorted to as are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mat making machine, plurality of wires arranged to'be supported on said frame in spaced apart, parallel relation and a carriage bar movable lengthwise along said wires and arranged to be lowered clear of said wires at the forward end of said frame.

2. In a mat making machine, a frame, a plurality of wires arranged to be supported on said frame in spaced apart, horizontal, parallel relation and a carriage bar movable lengthwise along said wires and. arranged to be lowered clear of said wires at the forward end of said frame, said carriage bar having V shaped notches arranged to receive said wires when said carriage bar is in a raised position.

3. In a mat making machine, a fra1ne,'a

plurality of wires arranged to be supported on said frame in spaced apart, horizontal, parallel relation, a rest for the forward ends of said wires, a vertically movable gate arranged to position the forward ends of said a frame, a'

horizontal,

wires, a carriage bar movable lengthwise along said Wires and arranged to be lowered at the forward ends of said wires, means for moving said carriage bar and automatic means for raising said gate to permit said carriage bar to pass thereunder.

4. In a mat making machine, a frame, a plurality of wires arranged to be supported on said frame in spaced apart, horizontal parallel relation, a rest for the forward ends of said wires, a vertically movable gate arranged to position the forward ends of said wires, a carriage bar movable lengthwise along said wires, and arranged to belowv ered at the forward ends of said wires, raising and lowering means for receiving and supporting said carriage bar at the forward end of said wires, means for moving said carriage bar and automatic means for raising said gate ,topermit sald' carriage bar to pass thereunder.

5. In a mat making machine, a frame, a

plurality of wires arranged to be supported on said frame in spaced apart, horizontal parallel relation, a vertically movable'gate arranged to position the forward ends of said wires, cam members on the outer ends of said gate, a carriage bar movable lengthwise along said wires and arranged to be lowered at the forwardends of said wires, means for moving said carriage bar, and rollers carried by the ends of said carriage bar for engaging the cam members on said gate to raise said gate.

6. In a mat making machine, a frame, a plurality of wires arranged to be supported onsaid frame in spaced apart, horizontal parallel relation, a rest for the forward ends of said wires, a vertically movable gate arranged to position the forward ends of said wires, a carriage bar movably lengthwise along said wires and arranged tobe lowered at the forward ends of said wires, means on said carriage bar for raising said gate to permit said. carriage bar to pass thereunder, trackways at the sides of said machine for supporting said carriage bar for movement and raised portions in said trackways arranged to lift said carriage bar over said rest for th'eforward ends of said bars. I

In witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe my namethis 10th day of December, A. D., 1925.

PETER J. sw'ANsoN. 

